The L.A. Times music blog

Kanye West apologizes to Taylor Swift

September 13, 2009 | 9:28
pm

Before the MTV Video Music Awards even came to an end, rap star Kanye West had taken to his blogand issued an ALL-CAPS apology to country star Taylor Swift and her mother. "I spoke to her mother right after and she said the same thing my mother would've said," Kanye wrote in his explanation for interrupting Swift's VMA win.

Moments after Swift won the MTV VMA for best female video for "You Belong With Me," West appeared onstage and interrupted her speech. Swift was in the midst of talking about the difficulty country artists face in crossing over on MTV when West declared that the award should have gone to Beyoncé for her "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)."

Throughout the remainder of the night, the VMA crowd at New York's Radio City Music Hall let West hear it, booing loudly anytime his name was mentioned. Pink, a performer on the telecast, took to her Twitter, and blasted Kanye -- its R-rated language prevents us from linking to it.

West apparently didn't stay to see the awards through, and wrote on his blog that he watched the rest of the show "at the crib." "I'm sooooo sorry to Taylor Swift and her fans and her mom," West wrote. He also took a moment to praise Swift, and wrote that he likes "the lyrics about being a cheerleader and she's in the bleachers."

He continued, "I'm in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment!" He added that Beyoncé's video remains "the best of the decade," and he apologized to his fans for letting them down.

West also tried to explain his reasons for interrupting Swift. He wrote: "Everybody wanna boooo me but I'm a fan of real pop cuture!!! ... I gave my awards to OutKast when they deserved it over me ... that's what it is." At the 2007 BET Awards, West attempted to give his trophy to OutKast's Big Boi and rap act UGK for their "International Player's Anthem."

Swift eventually did get a chance to give her acceptance speech. When Beyoncé won video of the year, she gracefully noted that she'd had her share of award-show moments, and called Swift back onstage.

This wasn't the first time West has had an award show outburst. He interrupted the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards when he lost to Simian and claimed his clip should have won. In 2005, West noted that he would "have a problem" if he didn't win the Grammy for album of the year. He didn't win.

Shortly after posting his apology to Swift, West took a moment to commend tennis star Serena Williams, who also came under criticism this weekend in New York for an outburst at the U.S. Open.